Goose Creek NAACP hosts candidates, looks ahead

By Stefan Rogenmoser The Gazette

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Goose Creek NAACP President David Cakley called the First Congressional District candidates forum held in Goose Creek last week – and hosted by the NAACP – a success.Attendance was standing room only April 30 as citizens from the area stopped in the Berkeley Electric Cooperative building off Springhall Drive to hear former Gov. Mark Sanford, Elizabeth Colbert Busch and Eugene Platt deliver their platforms and answer audience questions.Cakley said he and branch secretary Herbert Bodison were sitting around talking of the possibility of inviting the candidates over.“I wasn’t too optimistic about the possibilities but wanted to give it a shot,” Cakley said.He sent a certified letter to each candidate asking if they would participate. After a few days there was no response so Cakley started calling each of the camps.“They said they would get back to me,” Cakley said. “After a number of calls back and forth I got Gov. Sanford first.”Sanford committed to a date and then Platt soon followed. Cakley said Colbert Busch was the last to commit to the date.Cakley said he is not sure if the NAACP will host similar forums in the future. He said he needs to discuss the possibility with the executive board.“I don’t know,” Cakley said. “This one was successful. I think it’s a good idea in my opinion in the future to invite candidates.”Cakley said he has stayed busy in his three years as branch president: “We’re doing a lot of things for the great city of Goose Creek. I’m blessed to be part of the community.”The Goose Creek NAACP continues to raise money to give to local schools such as Sedgefield Middle and for scholarships at Stratford and Goose Creek high schools.Cakley said the Goose Creek NAACP later asked Sedgefield Middle how the money was spent and received a letter from the school explaining where it went.The branch is also telling people to get out to vote.“Our main purpose is equality for all in our community,” Cakley said. “That is our main goal of the branch . . . to make sure everyone is treated equally and fairly. We’re doing a lot of things in education and on the political spectrum.“We do voter registration drives. We do a lot of things in AIDS awareness. The AIDS epidemic is affecting the black community. We’ve also passed out and distributed condoms, told people how to protect themselves.“I'm real happy with how the branch is going. We’re a positive influence on city of Goose Creek. It’s all due to the executive board.”Cakley said the organization’s next scholarship fundraiser is June 8.

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